We realize so much in times of challenge, when pressures and change make us realize the true crux of the matter may have little to do with the details as we see them and may relate more to something earlier—something hidden. Under pressure, the chances of working through those details, “to finding the end of that rope,” are not as good since hidden issues are impossible to address.

Abram began to journey, aiming for a land the Lord had revealed to him; that’s good. But along the way he turned toward Egypt, anticipating supply from that land, perhaps a lapse of confidence in the God He began following; not good. Later, Abram’s decision concerning his wife’s servant, Hagar, began more controllable than it became – Hagar did not go away as planned because God did not allow her to go away.  

The same is true in your situation today; the core problem has become something more than at first—it will not go away because God will not allow it go away. The compromise Abram made reminds us that discipleship and accountability protect us; not only in normal daily problems, but also when, left to our choices, like Abram we can be allured into wrong, often devastating choices. Being accountable to a Godly person or group is protection as we journey—accountability saves us, often from ourselves! It means we can ask for and receive counsel, both when we know we need help as well as when we are clueless and do not yet realize our need. In both the Lord spotlights the center, the heart of the matter—the problem back there that suddenly has a voice!

This Christmas the Lord will not let you go—into another wilderness, another wrong setting, and certainly not away from His presence! This year you will face it; and when you do, worship will be the next thing you experience: You are in His Hand, held tightly, and this year your experience is and will be “God with us!”

O come, O come! Emmanuel!

Amen.

Genesis 13:1-4
Genesis 16
Psalm 1
Psalm 51

P. S. This month we are receiving an offering for the daily devotion outreach, and also asking the Lord to add monthly financial partners to support all that goes into providing this popular daily ministry. Details

A special star led the way as magi, wise men from ancient Persia, searched Judea’s hills until, following the star, their search ended at the home of Joseph and Mary his wife, the teen-aged mother of Jesus, the couple’s first born. Perceiving the child’s significance as the one for whom they had searched for many months, the wise men bowed in worship, presenting gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the parents—a wealth, but also provision they would soon need to flee the country ahead of those seeking to destroy their young son.

“…and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was… On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” Matthew 2:9-15

Each Christmas, celebrating the story of Jesus’ birth we remember the magi, wise men from the East – led by a star and warned in a dream. In a comparable way today, the Lord leads those filled with His Spirit, granting them wisdom to interpret signs and understand dreams—the Lord’s covenant people, wisest of the wise.

Amen.

Numbers 24:17
Daniel 11:32-33

P. S. Come join us!! This month we are receiving an offering for the daily devotion outreach, and also asking the Lord to add monthly financial partners to support all that goes into providing this popular daily ministry. Details 

Man does not live on natural bread alone but derives his breath and every life force from the Word of God—from every Word that proceeds from God. The spirit in man draws from something at all times—imbibing of the spirit or spirits involved and thereby encouraged, or quenched concerning God’s plan.

Guard your heart and spirit life; anything deposited in your heart today determines your future; the Word of God deposited in your heart quickens [makes alive, gives breath to] you with God’s wisdom, exposing rival every issue and force to the light of His eternal truth. Matthew 4:4, Job 32:8, Proverbs 4:23, Luke 21:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:19

The Amplified Bible expresses it well, connecting our life’s breath and immortal spirit to God’s eternal Word:

“For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power
[making it active, operative, energizing, and effective];
it is sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating to the dividing line of
the breath of life (soul)
and [the immortal] spirit,
and of joints and marrow [of the deepest part of our nature],
exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging
the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.
And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight,
but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless
To the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:12-13, AMP

Amen.

P. S. Come join us!! This month we are receiving an offering for the daily devotion outreach, and also asking the Lord to add monthly financial partners to support all that goes into providing this popular daily ministry. Details 

Good Morning,

The message today is an update concerning the Christmas 2011 offering for the daily devotion outreach. To read further, Click Here 

Merry Christmas!

In the book of Acts there is a sobering story about a husband and wife who agreed to lie publically about the selling price of their property. Their pretense of honesty about the amount of money gained was made before others who had sold land and brought the proceeds to the church for distribution to those in need. The contributions being made were not required but were a private matter of generosity; those who gave did so willingly.

This couple lied instead, choosing to deceive neighbors and friends who took them at their word. In the public confrontation that exposed them, the church elders pointed them back to the source of their deceptive and flawed logic, to a hidden place in their character where the decision to lie took root: “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?” . . . “Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” . . . Ultimately, the underlying cause and source of the deception was identified, “Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?  Acts 5, verses 9, 4 & 3

The story is a lesson that deception in anything—even small things—forms a partnership with the spiritual force of deception. Satan is the deceiver. He first gains entrance into the heart. When resistance is completely breached and the heart is open to deception, he subtly builds a darkened hiding place where capacity to deceive others develops and where a spiritual opening for further deception is established. The opening is a spiritual door. It is not of God.

To partner with deception is not good business—not savvy or clever in any sense. All forms and levels of deception work against the will of God and never carry His blessing. Furthermore, once deception’s door is opened, more deception is insured—more deceiving others and of being deceived.

For those willing—those who personally choose—to live honestly while also championing deliverance for anyone snared by deceit, we have this instruction: “But as for you, continue to hold to the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced, knowing from whom you learned [them], And how from your childhood you have had a knowledge of and been acquainted with the sacred Writings, which are able to instruct you and give you the understanding for salvation which comes through faith in Christ Jesus [through the [a]leaning of the entire human personality on God in Christ Jesus in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness]. Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action).” 2 Timothy 3:14-16, AMP

Amen.

James 3:15
2 Timothy 3:10-16, AMP

P. S. Come join us!! This month we are receiving an offering for the daily devotion outreach, and also asking the Lord to add monthly financial partners to support all that goes into providing this popular daily ministry. Details

Good Morning,

The message today is an update concerning the Christmas 2011 offering for the daily devotion outreach. To read further, Click Here 

Merry Christmas!

Theology is the study of knowledge about God, including two kinds of knowledge: Naturaltheology is the knowledge we have of God from his works by the light of nature and reason; revealed theology is that which is to be learned only from revelation.

God is interested in our theology, in our knowledge of Him but also the Bible teaches He wants to reconcile (totally change) our theology about Him; He wants our theology to change as we receive more revelation about Him and increasingly learn from Him.

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven. Colossians 1:19-23, NKJV

Amen.

P. S. This month we are receiving an offering for the daily devotion outreach, and also asking the Lord to add monthly financial partners to support all that goes into providing this popular daily ministry. Details

Have you ever done something because someone believed in you? Or because that person applied some positive pressure and placed a requirement on specific talents or skills they knew you possessed? The principle is a proven one. We will do things we did not think we could, things we might never attempt, just because someone demonstrates confidence in us. The principle is also spiritual; surrounded by people of faith we grow spiritually because their mentorship expects spiritual fruit from us—spiritually and practically they place a demand upon God’s gift-deposit within us.

The principle also describes the faith exchange that takes place when we seek God. Have you ever wanted to hear Him so much that you began to pull on Him – to place a demand upon Him in prayer, confident and trusting in His promises, determined to hear? Jesus taught the disciples to knock and doors would open for them, to seek and they would find. Their part like ours is to knock and seek.

The Lord’s response to your seeking occurred before you pressed; He goes ahead of you and calls you forth by His own faith to prosper your efforts; He is determined to bless everything you put your hand to and doesn’t hesitate to apply some pressure to get you moving toward the thing He has waiting for you: You know little but He has the big picture; you question if you can do it but He is certain you can; you lack direction and how to begin but He as your Source is leading you now, and He is determined you will hear!

Amen.

Matthew 7:7
Luke 11:9
Revelation 3:20

P. S. Come join us!! This month we are receiving an offering for the daily devotion outreach, and also asking the Lord to add monthly financial partners to support all that goes into providing this popular daily ministry. Details 

His mother called his name Jabez,
saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 1Chronicles 4:9

Jabez was marked. The literal meaning of his name he will cause pain marked him each time it was spoken: “Jabez, you are one who will (always) cause pain!” But Jabez did not follow his birth name prediction; instead, he called upon the Lord, asking for the negative prophetic pronouncement over his life to be changed… asking God to change the nature predicted by his mother’s careless prophecy. In asking, Jabez did not hold back but asked for the opposite, a life marked by the Lord’s hand upon his life:

Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying
            “Oh, that you would bless me indeed,
            And enlarge my territory,
            That your hand would be with me,
            And that You would keep me from evil,
            That I may not cause pain!” v.10

In the Bible, names are a link to destiny. The name change Jabez requested included a predictable course through a transfusion of God’s plan into his nature, replacing his mother’s words in naming him. God changed a life Satan meant to cause harm to the opposite: blessed, enlarged, and kept by God from evil, kept by God from causing pain!

Concerning a life on the wrong course—for any reason, a parent, surrounding conditions, whatever—if asked, God will do the work. There is no limit to the possibilities—no limits whatsoever! All things are possible! Mark 8:23

Amen.

P. S. Come join us!! This month we are receiving an offering for the daily devotion outreach, and also asking the Lord to add monthly financial partners to support all that goes into providing this popular daily ministry. Details 

The Lord is patient beyond our understanding; His patience with us is not something we always imitate in dealing with others—we need patience from the Lord and others, but extend patience less.    

We see the process people are in and wonder that it takes them so long to “wake up” and “get it!” But the Lord, who also sees and watches, is patient.    

Maturity teaches us that patience is part of wisdom; despite the wait or delay in achieving results, once I really know what God wants my wisdom simply refuses to settle for less.

My leadership ability, too, is measured in my ability to patiently wait; I am responsible to lead with confidence that the outcome will be favorable and those for whom I have patiently waited will join me at the finish line. 

The mature person understands the distance between “wait” and “I have it”, a line crossed suddenly into a new day and more hopeful perspective. Compared to all it takes to get there it is worth the wait.  

The end of a thing is better than its beginning;
The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Ecclesiastes 7:8

Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. Hebrews 10:36

Amen.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5
James 1:3-4

P. S. Come join us!! This month we are receiving an offering for the daily devotion outreach, and also asking the Lord to add monthly financial partners to support all that goes into providing this popular daily ministry. Details